Dental tray attachment



July 1, 192' 1,499,973

S. E. DOUGLASS DENTAL TRAY ATTACHMENT Filed March 6. 1923 Zlwuentoz J-E. Iaayiaaa.

Fatented July 1, i924.

SAMUEL E. DOUGLASS, OF RALEIGH, NORTH. CAROLINA.

DENTAL TRAY ATTACHMENT.

Application filed March 8, 1923. Serial No. 623,280.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. DOUGLASS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Raleigh, in the county of Wake and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Tray Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en able others skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to prosthetic dentistry and more particularly to the means for use in taking impressions of the mouth preliminary to fitting teeth thereto.

The main object of the invention is the provision of an attachment for the lower tray or cup to hold the material so that an impression may be obtained of the inner lower side of the ridge, whereby the plate when completed will have extensions to engage under the inner side of the ridge and prevent vertical movement or displacement of the plate.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent and suggest themselves as the nature of the invention is understood.

While the drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention it is to be understood 30 that in adapting the same to meet diiferent conditions and requirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application:

Figure 1 is a side view of a lower dental tray or cup having an attachment embodying the invention applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a view of the tray inverted, showing more clearly the application of the attachment,

Figure 3 is a sectional detail on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a side view of the attachment,

Figure 5 is a sectional detail on the line 55 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a rear end view of the attachment.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates a dental tray or cup such as generally provided for receiving the material when taking an impression of the lower jaw preliminary to the fitting of a plate thereto containing artificial teeth. The tray 1 is provided with the usual handle 2 for convenience of manipulation. The tray illustrated has been selected to demonstrate the application of the invention, it being understood that the attachment may be applied to all types and makes of trays whether sanitary or otherwise.

The attachment comprises a pair of plates, the one adapted to be fitted to one end of the tray and the other to the opposite end thereof. The plates usually consist of metal which is readily bendable so as to be readily shaped both to the tray to which it is to be fitted and to the jaw. The plate has the form substantially as shown in Figure 4 and is elongated and pointed at its front end, as indicated at 3, and its rear end comprises wings 4E and 5, the latter constituting an extension of the tray to receive and support the material for taking an impression of the jaw. The wing 4 is adapted to be folded whereby to act jointly with the front portion of the plate to clamp the inner portion of the tray, as indicated most clearly in Figure 3, whereby to retain the attachment in position when applied to the tray. The pointed end of the plate engages the inner lower portion of the tray and the wing t is bent about the rear end of the tray and coacts with the front portion of the plate to grip the tray and hold the attachment in position. A row of openings 6 is punched from the upper edge portion of the plate and projections 7 are formed on the body of the plate. The purpose of projections 7 is as follows: In making a cast for a denture the material used is wax. It frequently happens that this wax cast is broken at the ends, at times into several pieces. As the projections 7 will make an impression on the surface of the. cast it will be apparent that by observing the contours of the projections on the plates in relation to the impressions on the cast the broken pieces may be readily assembled to complete the impression. These projections may be in the form of letters spelling a word, as in the drawin s, or may be of any other selected design.

he attachment enables the usual tray to be employed when taking an impression of the lower jaw so that the lower plate containing the teeth may fit about the protubera nt portion of the r dge and thereby prevent movement or displacement of the plate which are objectionable features common to lower plates.

Vhat is claimed is:

1. A dental tray having a plate detachably fitted to an end thereof to receive and support the material ata point beyond the range of the tray when taking an impression of the mouth, said plate having projections pressed laterally therefrom whereby to facilitate the reassembling of the cast should the same become broken and detached when removing the same from the mouth.

2. An attachment for dental trays, the samecomprising an elongated plate tapering at its forward end and having two wings at its rear end, one of said wings being adapted to form an extension of the tray and the other wing being bendable about the. tray to secure the attachment when applied thereto, said plate having openings punched laterally therefrom along its upper edge and other openings punched laterally fromthe body thereof in a manner to facilitate the reassembling of the cast should the same become broken and detached when removing the same from the mouth.

3. An attachment for a dental tray, the same comprising a plate having one end porticn tapering and provided at its opposite end with two wings arranged in different vertical planes, one of said wings forming an extension of the tray and the other wing being bent to a position at one side of the plate and in substantially parallel relationship thereto, whereby a portion of the tray is received between the body of the plate and the bent wing of the plate to secure the plate to the tray.

1;. An attachment for a dental tray, the same comprising a plate having one end portion tapering and provided at its opposite end with two wings arranged in different vertical planes the lower of said wings forming a longitudinal extension of the tray and the upper of said wings being bent to a position at one side of the plate and in substantially parallel relationship thereto, whereby a portion of the tray is received between the body of the plate and the bent wing of the plate to secure the plate to the tray.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in the presence of a witness.

SAMUEL E. DOUGLASS.

Witness:

BENNETT S. J ONES. 

